Spacer

 

Google Translate

IPEN

A Toxics-Free Future

Donate

‘Ban herbicides that contain glyphosate’

http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2016/06/17/ban-herbicides-that...

CONSUMERS Association of Penang (CAP) has renewed its call for the ban of glyphosate-based herbicides, which is linked to kidney failure.

Its president S.M. Mohamed Idris said Sri Lanka and El Salvador have banned glyphosate after a recent study linked the herbicide to Fatal Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDu).

“It was reported that CKDu is the second leading cause of death among males in poor regions of Sri Lanka and El Salvador,” he said during a press conference at the CAP office in Jalan Masjid Negeri on Wednesday.

He added that a new study by the International Journal of Environ-mental Research and Public Health showed the compound as toxic incertain condition.

The study states that glyphosate becomes highly toxic when mixed with ‘hard’ water or heavy metals like arsenic or cadmium,” he said.

It is said that in Malaysia there are about 172 herbicide brands which contain glyphosate.

Mohamed Idris said there are 2.5mil people in Malaysia who are diagnosed with kidney-relateddiseases and CAP believes that the wide usage of glyphosate-based herbicides is among the cause of it.

He noted that CAP had raised the issue with the Government but was told that the compound would notbe banned.

“The Pesticide Board gave several reasons for allowing glyphosate to be used,” he said.

Mohamed Idris also said that as of December last year, glyphosate had been banned or restricted in the Netherlands, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Sri Lanka and El Salvador.

He said that farmers should optfor organic methods and that the Government should review its stand based on the new research findings.

Mohamed Idris explaining the ill effects of glyphosate-based herbicides at the CAP office in Jalan Masjid Negeri, George Town.